WNBA Playoff Opener
Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics Open WNBA Playoff Series in Game 1
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The fourth-seeded Atlanta Dream host the fifth-seeded Washington Mystics in Game 1 of their best-of-three WNBA playoff series Sunday at 7 p.m. in Atlanta. Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday in Washington, with a deciding Game 3 returning to Atlanta if needed. Atlanta matched its franchise record with 30 wins and finished the regular season strongly, led by Angel Reese, who averaged 12.1 rebounds and recorded a league-record 32 double-doubles, alongside Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard. Washington improved by 12 wins to reach a franchise-best 28 victories, making the playoffs behind the league’s second-ranked defense. The Mystics won two of the teams’ three regular-season meetings, setting up a closely matched series.
Key Points
1
Atlanta recovered from a five-game losing streak by going 18-5 to close the regular season. Coach Karl Smesko said the team pulled together during the slump and improved as the season went on.
2
Washington is the league’s youngest team, with an average age of 24; guard Sonia Citron and forward Kiki Iriafen are among its young standouts. Rookie Cotie McMahon said the team did not use its youth as an excuse.
3
The Mystics are seeking their first playoff series victory since winning the 2019 WNBA Finals.
4
Game 1 will stream exclusively on Prime Video, while Game 2 is scheduled to air on ESPN.
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